MILWAUKEE – Sixth-seeded Illinois fell to third-seeded and 18th-ranked Kentucky, 84-75, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday evening at Fiserv Forum.
The Illini close the season with a 22-13 mark, including 12-8 in Big Ten play, and the program's fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Brad Underwood.
Junior G Kylan Boswell led the way for the Fighting Illini, tying for game-high honors with 23 points while dishing out a team-leading six assists. Boswell's 23 points were a career-high in an NCAA Tournament game.
Sophomore C Tomislav Ivisic poured in 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and pulled down six rebounds for the Illini. Ivisic's five triples broke his own NCAA Tournament record for a 7-footer set in the team's Round 1 win vs. Xavier on Friday. His nine combined threes in the Illini's NCAA Tournament run are now the most in a career by a 7-footer in NCAA Tournament history.
Freshman G Kasparas Jakucionis finished with 13 points, tying Cory Bradford's Illinois freshman scoring record. He also added five rebounds.
Junior G Tre White tied graduate F Ben Hurichous and freshman F Morez Johnson Jr. as the Illini's leading rebounder with seven boards.
Press Conference
Postgame Notes
Player Notes
- Kylan Boswell scored a team-high 23 points to go along with three rebounds and six assists.
- Third 20-point performance of the season.
- 24th game of the season, seventh consecutive, with double-digit scoring.
- Second 20-point game in an NCAA Tournament game in his career...Arizona vs. Long Beach State (3-21-24)
- Kasaparas Jakucionis scored 13 points and added five rebounds and two assists.
- Tied the Illinois freshman scoring record held by Cory Bradford since 1998-99 with 494 points.
- Team-leading 26th game in double-digits scoring (sixth straight)
- Tomislav Ivisic scored 19 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.
- 21st game of the season, second straight, in double-figures scoring.
- 27th game with at least one 3-pointer, the top mark in the among 7-footers.
- Knocked down five 3-pointers.
- Broke his own single-game NCAA Tournament record for most 3-pointers by a 7-footer set in Friday's Round 1 win vs. Xavier
- Set the record 3-pointers in a single NCAA Tournament run by a 7-footer (9).
- Set the career NCAA Tournament record for 3-pointers by a 7-footer with nine (surpassed Frank Kaminsky (8), Wisconsin 2014-15).
Team Notes
- Illinois is 46-36 (.561) all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
- Head coach Brad Underwood is now 6-5 in the NCAA Tournament at Illinois, leading the Fighting Illini to wins during Tournament play four of the last five years.
- Illinois is:
- 3-3 all-time as the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- 2-3 all-time against the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- 11-7 all-time in the Midwest Region in the NCAA Tournament.
- 1-2 all-time when playing in Milwaukee in the NCAA Tournament.
- Illinois is 3-13 all-time as a lower (worse) seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- Illinois out-rebounded Kentucky 44-36, including a 12-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
- Converted those 12 offensive rebounds into nine second-chance points.
